New Orleans man gets 18 years for killing in Gretna

A New Orleans man suspected of killing a teenager from a rival neighborhood gang pleaded guilty Friday in exchange for an 18-year sentence. In stark contrast, the accused driver in the homicide was convicted last year of murder and received life in prison.

Shawn Flot, 23, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the July 25, 2009, death of Demetrius "Little D" Jackson, 19, who was gunned down after leaving a nightclub on Monroe Street in Gretna. Flot, who was scheduled for trial next week on a charge of second-degree murder, faced mandatory life in prison had he been convicted on that charge.

Eric Bone

Flot's friend, Eric "Heavy" Bone, 24, also of New Orleans, was convicted of second-degree murder in May and was sentenced to mandatory life. The prosecutor's key witness in that trial, Jackson's brother Kyron Jackson, testified Bone was in the driver's seat when Flot stepped out and shot his brother four times.

However, Flot's attorney J.C. Lawrence said Friday he found a witness who was among the throng outside Ceasar's lounge "who saw it differently and was willing to come forward." That witness, whom Lawrence did not identify, said Flot remained in the car during the shooting.

"In our mind there are many questions as to whether Mr. Flot was the shooter," Lawrence said. "We were prepared to show he was not the shooter."

Jackson was a member of the "Calliope Boys," named for the B.W. Cooper public housing development, and Bone and Flot were in the "Gert Town Hounds," named for the New Orleans neighborhood. Members of both gangs ran into each other at the nightclub, according to testimony from Bone's trial.

Inside, members of the Calliope Boys spat on Flot and threw cash at him, according to the testimony.

Later, as Jackson and the Calliope Boys walked to their car parked down Monroe Street, an Infiniti pulled up and someone stepped out and opened fire. Bone claimed the shooter was Kyron Jackson, who accidentally shot his own brother while shooting at the Gert Town Hounds. Bone fled with Gretna police in pursuit, and he crossed the Crescent City Connection and escaped police.

During Bone's trial, his attorney Jason Williams said Flot was shooting, too. But the attorney suggested Flot was defending himself.

Williams said Friday that while Bone was cooperative with police about the shooting, he still was charged with murder.

"It's certainly unfair and justice is not served for the driver of the car, which had bullet holes in it, to serve life,'' Williams said.

Flot also pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy to commit public bribery. According to a police affidavit, Flot, Bone and another inmate conspired to bribe a deputy, in order that a pack of cigarettes and a lighter could be smuggled into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna.

For that, Judge Hans Liljeberg of the 24th Judicial District Court, who approved both plea deals Lawrence negotiated with the Jefferson Parish district attorney's office, sentenced Flot to 30 months in prison. He ran the sentence concurrent with the 18 years Flot received for manslaughter.

The two years Flot has been incarcerated while awaiting trial will be subtracted from the 18-year sentence.